Bingo type chip dispenser

ABSTRACT

An open based plastic tube carries the disc-like chips stacked therein and these are prevented from discharge through the base by a pair of small projections on the inner wall near the base. Manipulative pincer-type means engage through the side walls of the tube just above the base and when these are actuated, the prongs engage between the lowermost chip and the one next above thereby forcing the lowermost chip past the projections so that it discharges through the base. When the manipulative means is released, gravity moves the stack of chips down the tube so that the next chip is ready for dispensing. An alternative embodiment has a pair of pivotal jaws in the base thereof with legs extending downwardly below the base so that the tube can be pressed upon a supporting surface thereby discharging one chip at a time each time the tube is depressed.

United States Patent 1 1 Williams 1 BINGO TYPE CHIP DISPENSER [7 61Inventor: Leslie Williams, 627 St. Marys Rd.,

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada 22 Filed: Sept. 10, 1973 21 Appl. No.:395,831

3,228,556 l/1966 N0nestied.....

3,591,043 7/1971 Murphy 221/299 3,747,613 7/1973 Westburg et al.. 133/5A 3,800,981 4/1974 Zeller 221/267 1451 Apr. 15, 1975 PrimaryExaminerRobert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Thomas E. Kocovsky Attorney,Agent, or FirmStan1ey G. Ade

[57] ABSTRACT An open based plastic tube carries the disc-like chipsstacked therein and these are prevented from discharge through the baseby apair of small projections on the inner wall near the base.Manipulative pincertype means engage through the side walls of the tubejust above the base and when these are actuated, the prongs engagebetween the lowermost chip and the one next above thereby forcing thelowermost chip past the projections so that it discharges through thebase. When the manipulative means is released, gravity moves the stackof chips down the tube so that the next chip is ready for dispensing. Analternative embodiment has a pair of pivotal jaws in the base thereofwith legs extending downwardly below the base so that the tube can bepressed upon a supporting surface thereby discharging one chip at a timeeach time the tube is depressed.

1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 1 5197s ISA 32 29 I2 BA 26 29 IBINGO TYPE CHIP DISPENSER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to new and useful improvements in means to facilitate theplacing of chips upon a game card such as a bingo card. Normally variousforms of markers are used by people playing bingo and many of these takethe form of small disc-like plastic chips.

These are often carried in a box or bag and have to be handledindividually and placed upon the correct square. When a person isplaying a plurality of bingo cards, this procedure is extremely awkwardand there is always the possibility of the balance of the chips beingspilled inadvertently.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes disadvantagesnormally inherent with the use of conventional plastic chips in theplaying of games like bingo by providing a tube or cylinder within whichthe chips may be stacked and means on said cylinder to dispense saidchips one by one as and when required.

The principal object and essence of the invention is therefore toprovide a device of the character herewithin described which enables aplayer to dispense one chip at a time and upon the requisite square on aplaying card such as a bingo card.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterherewithin described in which the tube can be grasped with one hand andthe thumb and forefinger used to dispense the chip through the open baseof the cylinder.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterherewithin described which includes an embodiment whereby downwardpressure of the tube upon the playing card automatically dispenses achip upon the card.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter herewithin described which is preferably made of transparentplastic to that the contents of the tube can be viewed at all times.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter herewithin described which prevents the chips from beingspilled inadvertently.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter herewithin described which is simple in construction,economical in manufacture, and otherwise well suited to the purpose forwhich it is designed.

With the foregoing object in view, and such other or further purposes,advantages or novel features as may become apparent from considerationof this disclosure and specification, the present invention consists ofthe inventive concept which is comprised, embodied, embraced, orincluded in the means, method, process, product, construction,composition, arrangement of parts, or new use of any of the foregoing,herein exemplified in one or more specific embodiments of such concept,reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. I is a side elevation of one embodiment sectioned in part to showthe interior thereof.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary partially sectioned view of the lower end of afurther embodiment.

ilar.

FIG. 3 is a partially sectioned fragmentary view of a still furtherembodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the lower end of a still furtherembodiment.

FIG. 5 is a section through the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of a conventional plastic chipoften used for playing bingo.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION:

Proceeding therefore to describe the invention in detail, referencecharacter 10 illustrates a cylindrical tube or casing preferably made oftransparent plastic-and having a friction type cap 11 on the upper endthereof.

The lower end 12 is open and the tube is designed to receive a stack ofdisc-like chips 13 one upon the other as clearly illustrated in FIG. 1.

A plurality of small projections 14 extend inwardly from the wall of thetube or casing 10 adjacent the lower end 12 thereof and the lowermostchips specifically designated 13A rests upon these projections thuspreventing the chips from discharging inadvertently through the base 12.

Means are provided to discharge chips one at a time through the basewhen desired and in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, this means takes theform of a pair of resilient plastic fingers 15 one upon each side of thecasing thereof and being secured by the upper ends 16 thereof to theouter wall of the casing 10. Wedge shaped portions 17 are formed on thelower ends of these fingers 15 and are inturned substantially at rightangles to the main portion of the fingers, these wedge shaped lower ends17 engaging through apertures 18 formed within the wall of the casingjust above the projections 14.

When it is desired to dispense a chip through the base 12, these fingersare pressed inwardly in the direction of arrows 19 so that the wedgeshaped lower ends 17 engage between the lowermost chip 13A and the onenext above specifically designated 133.

The wedging action of the lower ends 17 forces this lowermost chip 13Apast the projections 14 thus enabling the lowermost chip to be depositedupon the game card or the like (not illustrated).

When the resilient fingers 15 are released, they return to the outermostposition so that the entire stack of chips 13 moves downwardly whereuponthe next succeeding chip 138 becomes the lowermost chip 13A and is readyfor dispensing when required.

Reference should be made to FIG. 6 in which a conventional chip is shownin side elevation. The perametrical edge 20 of these chips is beveled asclearly shown thus facilitating the engagement of the wedge shaped lowerends 17 when moved inwardly. Alternatively the edges may be rounded asin FIG. 6 but the action is sim- FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodimentin which the fingers 16A are provided with wedge shaped lower ends 17Aand downwardly extending projections 21.

Situated in the wall of the tube or cylinder casing 10 is a pair ofpivotal portions 22 pivoting upon a pin 23 and having beveled upperfaces 24 together with inwardly extending chip restraining portions 14A.

In operation this embodiment, movement of the fingers 16A in thedirection of arrows 19A separates the lowermost chip 13A from the chipimmediately thereabove 138 and the projecting portions 21 strike theupper ends of the pivoting portions 22 thus rocking them and moving therestraining portions 14A out of the way so that the chip canbe dispensedthrough the open base. The sloping upper sides 24 engage the upperportions 20A of the beveled perimeter of the chip 13A. These pivotalportions are preferably spring biassed (not illustrated) so that theynormally return to the position shown in FIG. 2, when the fingers 16Aare released.

FIG. 3 shows a still further embodiment which includes combinationdispensing end restraining portions 25 pivoted upon pins 26, to theenlarged base 27 of the cylindrical casing 10 adjacent the lower openend 12 thereof.

These portions include chip engaging jaws 28 on the inner sides thereofand downwardly and outwardly curving legs 29 which extend below the base12 of the tube. The portions 25 are normally biassed to the positionshown in FIG. 3 by means of small leaf springs 30.

In operation of this embodiment, downward pressure of the tube or casingupon a supporting surface 31 causes the portions 25 to pivot in thedirection of arrows 32 thus causing the jaws 28 to move the lowermostchip 13A through the open base 12 yet restraining the remainder of thechips from discharging. Upon release of the downward pressure upon thecylindrical casing 10, the portions 25 return to the original positionand are then embracing the next suceeding chip 138.

FIGS. 4 and show the preferred embodiment of the invention whichincludes an oval shaped resilient band 33 engaged around the cylindricalcasing adjacent the lower end 12 thereof. A pair of wedge shapedportions 34 are formed on the inner wall of the band 33 and thesenormally engage just within apertures 18 adjacent the base 12. Pressureupon the widest portion of the band, at which points are located thewedge shaped portions 34, forces these wedge shaped portions throughthese apertures and separates the lowermost chip 13A, forcing it pastthe projections 14 in a manner similar to that described for theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 1.

Release of the pressure of course permits the oval band 33 to return tothe position shown in FIG. 5. The direction of the inward pressure isshown by reference character 35 in FIG. 5.

Various modifications may be constructed or performed within the scopeof the inventive concept disclosed. Therefore what has been set forth isintended to illustrate such concept and is not for the purpose oflimiting protection to any herein particularly described embodimentthereof.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A storage container and dispenser for disc-like chips used for bingoand the like, comprising a cylindrical casing having an open base, andadapted to hold a plurality of said chips in stacked relationshiptherein, means adjacent the open base restraining the chips fromdischarge through said base and manipulative means exteriorly of saidcylindrical casing engageable through apertures in the wall of saidcase, to urge the lowermost chip past the means for restraining thechips from discharge, said means exteriorly of said cylindrical casingcomprising a flexible, substantially oval band freely surrounding saidcasing, and a plurality of inturned wedge shaped inwardly facingportions on the inner surface of said band engageable within saidapertures and adapted to separate the lowermost chip from the chipssuperadjacent thereto within said casing, and to discharge saidlowermost chip past said means for restraining said chips fromdischarge.

1. A storage container and dispenser for disc-like chips used for bingoand the like, comprising a cylindrical casing having an open base, andadapted to hold a plurality of said chips in stacked relationshiptherein, means adjacent the open base restraining the chips fromdischarge through said base and manipulative means exteriorly of saidcylindrical casing engageable through apertures in the wall of saidcase, to urge the lowermost chip past the means for restraining thechips from discharge, said means exteriorly of said cylindrical casingcomprising a flexible, substantially oval band freely surrounding saidcasing, and a plurality of inturned wedge shaped inwardly facingportions on the inner surface of said band engageable within saidapertures and adapted to separate the lowermost chip from the chipssuperadjacent thereto within said casing, and to discharge saidlowermost chip past said means for restraining said chips fromdischarge.